Corn-husker.



No. 633,2llf Patented Sept. l9, I899.

J. .1. McDDNALD.

CORN HYUSKEB. \Applieatign filed Mar. 21, 1898.)

(No Model.)

' UNITED STATES retest.

ooRN-HusKEa' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,211dated September 19, 1899.

Application filed March 21, 1898- To all 1071,0727 (It nuty concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. MCDONALD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Crab Orchard, in the county of Johnson and State ofNebraska, have invented anew and useful Corn-Husker, 'of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of implements which are applied tothe hand for facilitating the stripping'of husks from ears of corn, andhas for its object to provide an implement of this character which canbe cheaply constructed and will be reliable and effective for the workdesigned.

Fora full understanding of the merits and advantages of the inventionreference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing fromthe principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to afull disclosure of ing implement as it will appear when applied to thehand. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig.3 is a front view. Fig. 41 isadetail view in perspective of the husking device disassociated from theattaching-straps.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The husking device proper irrespective of the attaching-straps consistsof a body or shank 1 and side hooks 2, the body or shank curvinglongitudinally, so as to conform to the outline of the base portion ofthe hand to fit the same snugly, and the side hooks 2 are about half thelength of the body or shank, so as to come about opposite the base ofthe hand, as indicated in Fig. 10f the drawings. The device isconstructed of alength of wire which is doubled upon itself and has itsend portions reeurved and extending parallel with the body or shank 1and thenbent into hook form, as shown, the terminals being pointed, soas to readilypenetrate the husks when the device is in operation. Themem- Serial No. 674,675. (No model.)

bers of the body or shank l and the shank or body portions of the hooks2 extend parallel, and the folded ends are spread sufficiently toprovide eyes 3, through which rivets 4 pass for securing the device tothe attachingstraps.

The hand-strap 5 is seen red to the outer end of the body or shank 1,and the wrist-strap (5 is made fast to the innerend of the said body orshank by rivets a passing through the eyes formed betweenthe members ofthe shank 1. and the contiguous portions of the hooks 2. A piece ofleather 7 orother stout material is placed against the inner or rearside of the device and is secured at its ends to the hand and wriststraps preferably by means of the same rivets or fastenings 1, and thispart 7 constitutes a protector for the base portion of the hand andthumb and prevents injury thereto.

The implement is attached aboutas shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanyingdrawings, the strap 5 encircling'the hand at a point about midway of thepalm and the strap 6 encompassing the wrist. The body or shank 1 of themetal device by reason of its curvature conforms to the base portion ofthe hand and tits around the same snugly, and the side hooks 2 comeopposite the base of the hand and project, so as to readily enter thehusks of an ear of corn held in the opposite hand. The shanks of thebooks 2 by being arranged at opposite sides of the inner portion of theshank or body 1 increase the width of the device at that point to enableit to withstand the force of the blows incident to husking corn and alsoto distribute the same over a comparatively large area to lessen theeffect of the blows on the hand of the operator. This arrangement alsoprovides a broad bearing for the hooks and prevents them from turning onthe straps or bands. The ears of corn are divested of their husks bygrasping them in the left hand and passing the points of the hooks 2through the husks at one end of the car. A deft movement of the handhaving the implement applied thereto by passing it lengthwise over theear of corn will part the husks and expose the ear and enable theseparated portions of the husks to be pushed aside and the ear removed,the operation being completed by snapping the end portion of the stalkfrom the cob in the usual manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A corn-husking implement comprising the shank or body extendinglongitudinally of the hand of the operator and curved throughout itslength to present an inner concave face and an outer convex face andprovided with an inwardly-extending hook, said body being constructed ofwire and provided with eyes formed by bends of the wire, and strapsarranged at right angles to the body, adapted to secure the same to thehand of the user, and provided with fastening devices passing throughthe said eyes, substantially as described.

2. A corn-husking implement comprising a longitudinal body or shankconstructed of wire, a pair of inwardly-exten ding hooks having shanksarranged at opposite sides of the inner portion of the said shank orbody,formed integral with the same and increasing the width of thedevice at the inner end, and a strap arranged at right angles to thebody and adapted to encircle the hand, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a shank or bodyconstructed of a single piece of wire doubled upon itself to form twosides and to provide an eye at one end of the body, the ends of the wirebeing provided with return-bends to form eyes at the other end of thebody and extended along the latter and formed into a pair ofinwardly-extending hooks, and means for securing the body to a hand,substantially as described.

4:. The herein-described corn-husking implement comprising a body orshank curving longitudinally and side hooks formed of a single length ofwire doubled upon itself and having its end portions recurved, thefolded portion being spaced apart to provide eyes, hand and wriststraps, a protecting piece placed against the inner or rear side of thehusker, and fastenings for connecting the various parts and passingthrough the eyes formed by folding the wire or blank from which thehusker is formed, substantially as set forth.

5. Acorn-husking implement comprising a shank or body extendinglongitudinally of the hand of the operator, and provided at a pointbetween its ends with inwardly-extending hooks located at opposite sidesof the shank or body, and the straps or hands arranged at the ends ofthe shank or body and adapted to secure the same to the hand and to thewrist, substantially as described.

6. A corn-husking implement comprising a shank or body provided atopposite sides with inwardly-extending hooks, said shank or body beingdisposed longitudinally of the hand of the operator and formed of Wire,the bends of the wire forming eyes at the ends of the shank or body,straps located at the terminals of the shank or body for securing thesame to the hand and wrist of the operator, and fastening devicespassing through the said eyes and connecting the straps to the shank orbody, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JNO. J. MCDONALD.

Witnesses:

A. LOUITT, CHARLIE DEULEN.

